No matter who you are or what your situation, there will be times when, try as you might, the end of the day rolls around, and it starts to look like you won’t have time to get in your workout. Has that happened to you?

It’s a sad feeling, not terrible, but it’s not the way you want to end your day. It’s just one reason why running early in the morning makes sense, if you can swing it, because then, if something interferes, you still have options. Maybe it means you go out and run on your lunch hour or maybe on your afternoon coffee break or, hopefully, you have some flexibility in your afternoon time, but all that is really beside the point of this podcast. This episode provides you with a safety net for those days when, no matter what, no matter the reason, you just weren’t able to get out and run.

In such cases, BAT workouts provide mental reasurance because you know a BAT workout will prevent any loss in fitness. BAT workouts are your running training safety net.

Now, what does this have to do with Halloween? Nothing, except that when I was about to record this episode, I got to thinking that bats and Halloween go together; I’ve always called them BAT workouts, which stands for best alternative training, but it was just a coincidence that I recorded this episode the week before Halloween.

By alternative training I mean alternative to actually going outside to do your planned workout. This BAT workout will keep your fitness from sliding backwards. Even if your schedule – and your daily life – results in you only having time to run on two weekdays, if you do this workout on the other days, you’ll be fine. You can still continue to improve your running fitness with just those two running workouts and your two weekend workouts. So, these BAT workouts can be critical.

Two great things about this workout:

It’s completely customizable. Once you understand the structure, you can swap out exercises or change the time frames.

It can be a complement to your running. Feel free to add in one or two BAT workouts per week. BAT workouts don’t have to be just alternatives for days when you don’t have time to run.

Of all the great pleasures of running, time spent with other runners is one of the greatest. You can’t have too many running friends, and running with them makes every mile a whole new and different experience. You’ll make friends for life, and during all those miles, you’ll discuss every comceivable topic, solve the world’s probems and each others. You’ll run more because you want to hang out with your friends, and a bad run will always become a much better run when you have friends by your side.

While belonging to a running group is helpful to eperienced runners, it’ exponentially more beneficial to new runners, beginner runners who need motivation and support, but beginner runners often feel intimidated, worrying that they won’t be welcome, won’t be able to keep up, or won’t be able to run far enough, all valid concerns.

In this podcast, I address questions submitted by the beginner runners in my Mojo for Running Coaching Program regarding those exact concerns and many more. I hope that after giving this podcast a listen, you’ll feel like you’re ready to find a club and become involved.

Newer runners tend to be too hard on themselves, often pushing too hard, running too much or at a level too intense for their current state of fitness. If you’re feeling tired, this could be the reason – or at least part of it.

Any time you feel extra tired, more tired than normal, you need to step back and analyze the situation. You need to figure out why you’re feeling tired and take the appropriate steps right away. If you don’t, you may miss several weeks of running, and we don’t want that. This episode of the Beginner Runner Village Podcast will help you figure out why you’re feeling tired and make the correct and very necessary adjustments.

Running, every day, requires a constant stream of motivation, but then, when the mercury starts to rise, it’s super easy to make the choice to do something else, anything else, any other activity, as long as it can be performed in the air conditioning. [Read more…]

Whether your main goal is better health, weight loss, having more energy, or making new friends, your overarching motivation may be simply ‘wanting more,’ wanting to become a runner to move your life toward something richer, and I’m not talking about things or money, but experiences and better yet, shared experiences with others on the same healthy journey. [Read more…]

Becoming a runner is on your shoulders. You’re the one who must make the commitment and do the work, but if you can get your family and friends on board, if you can get them to stand by you, stand with you, support and encourage you, the trip will be an easier one. Start hanging out with experienced runners, and it will be easier yet. Before long, you won’t be a ‘beginner runner.’